Looks like Go Shiozaki is in line to get the Triple Crown, though, in February. So, that's a thing. Knock on him in NOAH was that he didn't draw as champion, but with the crap numbers AJP has been bringing in, that's less of a concern. If they're going to right the ship, he's going to have to be the guy to do it. If Shiozaki defending against Akiyama can't put butts in seats, it's time to pull the plug.

He may be their savior yet. Though I think that they could also push Joe Doering to be the new, slimmer version of Vader/Stan Hansen that helped get them such good gates. Give him the Triple Crown and have the face workers chase him. But that's just me.

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I will say, though, that I'm not so sure that Doering would work so well in that role. He's got tenure in All Japan, and won his home team stripes when he declared that he wasn't following Mutoh. He's not an invader, any more. If Shiozaki (or someone else) is able to build a foundation for a gaijin to wreck shop, they'd be best served looking for a new monster, rather than the one we're used to.

Sure, whatevs. It's a fairly easy role to fill. I'd go shopping for someone that has experience in front of a Japanese crowd, since they're stepping into a high pressure situation, but you could get by with anyone competent.